The New York Knicks stunned the NBA community with their trade moves on the deadline day. Their off-court decisions certainly caught the eyes of Charles Barkley as the sports analyst praised them on TNT’s Inside the NBA show. On the contrary, Shaquille O’Neal diminished the impact of the newly assembled roster as he shut down his co-panellist on live television.
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The Empire State organization highlighted their championship ambitions as they signed Bojan Bogdanovic and Alec Burks. In exchange for the Detroit Pistons duo, they provided their conference rivals with a package including the 2021 pick Quentin Grimes. The Knicks also sacrificed Evan Fournier, Ryan Arcidiacono, Malachi Flynn, and two second-round picks to strengthen their team.
These trades excited Kenny Smith and Chuck as the TNT panelists backed the Eastern Conference franchise as a potential title contender.
“I think the Knicks did get better because I watched them play the Lakers the other night and all the Lakers did was take the ball out of [Jalen] Brunson’s hand and nobody else could make a shot,” the latter declared.
Soon after that, Shaq promptly disagreed with his colleagues as he told the host, Ernie Johnson,
“Why they over there blabbermouthing? Did it help the Knicks get better? Yes. Did it help win the championship? No. So it doesn’t matter”.
The comments sparked an on-set debate as Diesel further added, “Can they beat Boston [Celtics]? No. Can they beat Cleveland [Cavaliers] right now? Can they beat Milwaukee [Bucks]? No”.
The contrasting responses shed light on the varied perspectives of the NBA world. On one hand, Barkley’s optimistic outlook spurred him to praise the franchise for showcasing ambition. On the other hand, the 2000 MVP expressed skepticism by putting the focus back on the challenges around the conference and the league. Their diversity in viewpoint yet again paves the way for an astonishing premise as the postseason approaches fast.
Unlike Shaquille O’Neal, most NBA analysts adopted a cheerful viewpoint
Despite the seemingly harsh statements from the 4x champion, the title chances of the organization have certainly increased. The odds for it have gone from +2000 to +2800 for the franchise following the deadline day trade moves. With a 33-19 record till now, their emergence this season has certainly been outstanding.
Richard Jefferson and JJ Redick discussed precisely that aspect in a recent episode of The Old Man and the Three podcast. “The Knicks won 14 games. It’s either their first or second most amount of wins that they have ever had in a single month. That’s a pretty big spot to be,” Jefferson initially stated.
On top of this, Redick added how their defensive endeavors have paid dividends over time. “Their [defensive] efficiency sky rocketed from 0.95 prior to that per possession to 1.19,” he mentioned while highlighting their rise.
Therefore, the hopeful times seem to have come back to New York after all these years. The franchise has been making gradual steps forward in the last few months. Those have finally given them the momentum to aim even higher. With the Knicks now rising as a potent force in the East, the playoffs could become a sight to behold.
